<p>FILE PHOTO: On the deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) a helicopter from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4 and it's crew prepares for another day of humanitarian relief for the Republic of the Philippines after Typhoon Fengshen. Photo from 2008.</p>

A US Navy helicopter crashed onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in the Philippines Sea on Friday, injuring personnel on board.

The MH-60 Seahawk hit the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan shortly after takeoff around 9 a.m., according to a statement released by the Navy's Seventh Fleet. All injured are in stable condition and are being evaluated by medical staff.

The Navy did not say how many people were injured but that some "will be medically evacuated ashore" without specifying a location.

An investigation has been opened into the cause of the crash, according to the statement.

The incident occurred during routine operations in the Philippine Sea, which spreads north and east of the Philippines.

The aircraft carrier "remains fully mission capable" and normal flight operations to support the mission of "support and security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region" have resumed, the Navy said.

Last week the Nimitz-class, or, nuclear-powered aircraft participated in the International Fleet Review near South Korea's Jeju Island.